Rep. Mike Johnson, a relatively lesser-known Louisiana Republican and low-ranking member of the GOP leadership team, emerged as the party’s newest nominee for House speaker on Tuesday night. This development came after three other candidates failed to gain traction.
Johnson’s nomination followed closely on the heels of Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who initially secured the nomination but quickly withdrew when he failed to secure the necessary unanimous support from the GOP on the House floor.
Like Emmer, Johnson could face a similar fate. It remains uncertain whether he can gather the 217 Republican votes needed to secure the coveted position.
A floor vote may take place as early as Wednesday afternoon.
Elected to Congress in 2016, the 51-year-old Johnson enjoys popularity and goodwill among his Republican colleagues. He has skillfully avoided making political enemies within Capitol Hill.
Johnson’s rise follows a path similar to two of his political mentors, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan. Both Scalise and Jordan, who began as state legislators and led the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in Congress, eventually ascended to leadership positions but ultimately withdrew their nominations for speaker.
Johnson aims to accomplish what the previous three nominees failed to do: secure at least 217 of the 221 Republican votes required to become speaker. The decision of when and whether to hold such a vote lies with Johnson. Jordan previously held multiple unsuccessful votes, Scalise and Emmer withdrew before holding any floor votes after acknowledging their lack of path to victory.
Although relatively under the radar on a national scale, Johnson avoids the inflammatory rhetoric and theatrics often employed by lawmakers for attention. However, he wields influence behind the scenes.
On Tuesday, as Johnson vied for the speaker position, former Rep. Liz Cheney’s political team circulated a New York Times article that hailed him as “the most important architect of the Electoral College objections” on Jan. 6, 2021. This move aimed to keep then-President Donald Trump in power despite his loss. The Times reported that many Republicans who voted against pro-Biden electors adopted Johnson’s argument, which focused on constitutional challenges to certain states’ pandemic-related voting changes instead of unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud.
An additional wildcard in the speaker’s race is Trump, who criticized Emmer after his nomination victory. Emmer’s vote to certify the 2020 election sparked the ire of Trump loyalists.
Johnson gained momentum before the race even began as one rival, Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, dropped out and threw his support behind Johnson.
To secure Tuesday night’s victory, Johnson surpassed the remaining four GOP candidates. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann was eliminated in the first round, and Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams was voted out in the second round. Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green withdrew and endorsed Johnson. In the final round, Johnson prevailed over Rep. Byron Donalds, a member of the Freedom Caucus and one of four Black Republicans in the House. The vote margin was 128 to 29, with 44 Republicans casting ballots for someone else.
Among those 44 votes, McCarthy received 43 and Jordan received one, according to Rep. Ken Buck. These 44 votes could pose a significant challenge for Johnson in a House floor vote.
As the tally was being counted, Rep. Randy Weber of Texas expressed doubt that any of the candidates could secure 217 votes, citing the level of support for individuals who were not even contenders.
When dozens of people “vote for ‘other’ — in police work they call that a clue,” Weber said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com.
